Liquid-measuring pump



April' 1, 1930. E. E. EICKMEYER LIQUID MEASURING PUMP Filed Jan. 9, 1925/NVENT0/-?. EARL E. E/CKMEYER.

ATTORNE X Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARL E.EICKMEYER, F DAYTON,

PUMP COMPANY, OF DAYTON,

LIQUID-EJIEASUEING PUMP Application filed January This invention relatesto liquid measuring pumps and is designed more particularly for use ongasoline dispensing pumps, such as are commonly employed at fillingstations.

In certain types of measuring pump, more particularly the singlecylinder pumps, the piston is elevated to discharge the measuredquantity of liquid from the cylinder and is then released and permittedto move downo'wardly by gravity. The actuating device for the pistonusually comprises a rack and pinion which is connected by a train ofgearing with a handle or crank and where the piston is to movedownwardly by gravity the handle is detachably connected with theactuating device so that it can be separated therefrom to release thepiston for downward movement. The objection to this type of device hasbeen the tendency of the piston to move 'downward when the pressure onthe handle was relieved. If the handle was released Withoutdisconnecting it from the piston ac tuating device it would be rotatedin a reverse direction with sufiicient force to injure the operator ifit struck him, but even if means, such as a pawl and rachet, are provdedto prevent the rearward movement of the handle there would still be somedownward movement of the piston, when the handle is re- 0 leased,because of the lost motion between the pawl and the tooth of the ratchetwheel and even though this movement is slight it would in the course ofa days business mean the delivery of a considerable amount of liquidover and above the supposedly measured amounts for which payment hadbeen received. Further, in a pawl and ratchet lock when the rack bar forthe piston is moved upwardly against the stop which limits its movementand the pawl drops behind its tooth just the end of this movement, thehandle is held so tight t-l at it is difficult to disconnect the sameand thus release the piston. Further, with a device of this kind thepiston will sometimes fail to move downward by gravity, due either tothe corroding of the gears or to other reasons, and where a pawl andratchet or similar detent is applied to the handle the latter cannot beoperated to force the piston down.

9, 1925. Serial No. 1,396.

One object of the invention is to provide in a pump of this kind meansfor positively preventing all reverse movement of the piston when thepressure on the handle is released, so long as the handle is connectedwith the actuating device for the piston.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in whichthe handle will be normally held against reverse movement but may stillbe operated to force the piston downwardly.

A further object of the invention is to proyide such a mechanism whichwill be simple in its construction and operation and which may beconstructed and installed at a relatively low cost.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the device is described indetail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of adevice embodying my invention; Fig. '2 is a transverse sectionalviewtaken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thedevice.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention andhave shown the same as applied to a gasoline dispensing pump of wellknown character but itwill be understood that this particular embodirment has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only and thedevice may take various forms and may be applied to pumps of variouskinds without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the present drawings I have shown only such parts of the pump itselfas are necessary to the explanation of the construction and operation ofthe invention. As here shown, the piston is operated by a toothed rackbar 1 which is connected with, and in effect forms a part of, the pistonrod, the piston rod and piston not being shown. This rack meshes with apinion 2 which is carried by a shaft 3 journaled at its opposite ends insuitable bearings 9 carried by a frame 4. Mounted on the shaft 3 andrigidly connected with the 95 pinion 2 is a gear 5 which meshes with apinion 6 on a second shaft 7 which is also journaled in suitablebearings 8 mounted in the frame 4. The bearings 8 and 9 are here shownas ball bearings in order to reduce the frictional resistance to theoperation of the device as far as possible but obviously any suitablebearing may be employed. The actuating device for the piston, that isthe train of gearing just described, is connected with an operatinghandle or crank 10 and this connection is preferably a separable one sothat the crank may be connected with the actuat ing device for thepurpose of operating the piston and may be disconnected from theactuating device to permit the latter to rotate in a reverse directionas the piston moves downwardly by gravity. The connection between thecrank and the actuating device may take various forms but I have hereshown a very simple form of connection in which the crank or handle isprovided with a shank 1]. supported in a suitable bearing and theadjacent ends of the shank 11 and the shaft 7 are provided withcooperating clutch faces which may be engaged and disengaged by thelongitudinal i'novement of the shank in its bearing. As shown, thisshank has in its inner end a recess 12 adapted to receive a tongue orprojection 13 carried by the end of the shaft. The shank of the handleis here shown as mounted in a. supporting member 14 which in turn isournaled in a bearing 15 carried by a bracket 16 rigidly secured to theframe 1. Preferably the bracket is detachably secured to the frame, asby means of screws 17 so that the mechanism may be assembled thereon asa unit and the bracket then attached to the frame. To prevent theaccidental withdrawal of the shank of the crank from its hearing orguideway in the supporting member 14; a stop arm 18 is pivotally mountedon the bracket 16 and provided with a projection or nose 19 arranged inthe pat-h of a stop, such as a collar 20, on the shank of the crank orhandle. The nose 19 of the stop arm is spaced from the stop collar 20 adistance sutlicient to permit the shank to be disengaged from the shaft1]. and when it is desired entirely to remove the shank from the bearingthe pivoted arm is moved out of the path of the stop collar on theshank.

The shank of the handle or crank 10 is so mounted in the rotatablesupport 1-1: that these two parts are held against relative rotation,this being preferably accomplished by imparting to the shank and itsguideway in the supporting member a non-circular shape, these partsbeing, in the present instance, hexagonal in form. In order to preventthe reverse movement of the handle and consequently of the piston whenthe handle is connected therewith I have provided a device to preventthe reverse rotation of the supporting member 1 1-. this device being soconnected with the supporting structure and handle that it will normallyhold these parts against rotation but will permit them to be moved in areverse direction when pressure is applied to the handle in a reversedirection. Preferably this device is in the nature of a one-way clutch,one member of which is normally stationary and the other member of whichis connected with the supporting member 14 for rotation therewith, theconnection being a yieldable one so that when pressure is applied to thehandle the supporting structure and handle may be rotated in a reversedirection while the rotatable part of the clutch is held againstrotation by the fixed part thereof. In the present construction thebracket 16 is provided at the inner end of the bearing 15 with a cavityor recess 21. and the supporting structure 14 has formed on its innerend an enlargement or head 22 which is rotatably mounted in the cavity21 and which is provided at its inner.

end with a circumferential flange 23 which overlaps the bracket 16 andis confined between the same and the frame 1 so as to close the innerside of the cavity. The diameter of the head 22 is less than theinternal diameter of the cavity 21, thus providing between the walls ofthese parts a space and in this space is mounted an annular member 24which constitutes the rotatable member of the one-way clutch.Cooperating with this annular clutch member is a detent or frictionroller 25 which is loosely mounted in a tapered guidcwav 26 formed inthe bracket 16 at one side of the structure and opening into the cavity21. The recess 26 increases in width in the direction of the forwardrotation of the supporting member 1 1 and crank 10 so that when thecrankis operated forwardly the friction roller 25 will be elevated outof frictional contact with the clutch member 2 1 and the outer wall ofthe recess 26 and will not interfere with the free forward movement ofthe clutch ring 24. The recess 26 being arranged in substantially avertical position the friction roller will move by gravity intofrictional contact with the walls of the recess 26, one of which isformed by the clutch ring. as soon as the forward movement of the clutchring ceases, thereby preventing instantly any reverse movement on thepart of the clutch ring. The clutch ring 2-ft connected with thesupporting member 1 for the crank or handle in. such a manner that itwill normally rotate therewith but the connection is a yielding one sothat when'the clutch ring is held against movement the supporting membermay be moved relatively thereto. Preferably this connection is africtional one and, as here shown, a series of plunger-s 27 are mountedin radial recesses in the head 22 of the supporting member and arepressed outwardly by springs 28 into frictional contact with the innercircumferential face of the clutch ring 24-. The frictional contactbetween these plungers. and the ring such as to cause. the ring torotate normally with the supporting membet and to prevent the movementof the supporting member relatively to the clutch ring by the tendencyof the piston to move downwardly. Consequently when the handle 10 isreleased the clutch will operate instantly to check the reverse movementof both the handle and the piston. Should it be desirable, however, toforce the piston downwardly, this can be accomplished by applyingsufficient pressure to the handle 10 in a reverse direction to overcomethe frictional contact between the plungers and the clutch ring. Thisconstruction also permits the shank of the handle to be readily adjustedto bring the clutch members 12 and 13 into alinement, and prevents thelocking of the shank of the handle against longitudinal movement by thewedging action of the rack bar 1 against the stop.

lVhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wishit to be understood that I no not desire to be limited to the detailsthereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in theart,

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pump, the combination with a pisston actuating d vice, arotatable handle, and a connection between said handle and saidactuating device, of a structure mounted in fixed relation to saidactuating device, comprising bcar' ity at the inner end of said bearing,a support for said handle rotatably mounted in said bearing and having ahead arranged in said annular cavity, a clutch ring interposed betweensaid head and the circumferential "-Cfill of said cavity, a clutchmember arranged to engage said clutch ring and hold the same againstmovement in'one direction, and means for connecting said sn port withsaid clutch ring.

2. In a pump, the combination with a piston actuating device, arotatable handle, and a connection between said handle and saidactuating device, of a structure mounted in fixed relation to saidactuating device, comprising a bearing and having an annular cavity atthe inner end of said bearing, a support for said handle rotatablymounted in said bearing and having a head arranged in said annularcavity, a clutch ring interposed between said head and thecircumferential wall of said cavity, a clutch member arranged to engagesaid clutch ring and hold the same against movement in one direction,and a frictional connection between said support and said clutch ring.

3. In a pump, the combination with a pis ton actuating device, arotatable handle, and a connection between said handle and saidactuating device, of a structure mounted in fixed relation to saidactuating device, comprising a bearing and having an annular cavindhaving an annular cavity vat the inner end of said bearing, a supportforsaid handle rotatably mounted in said bearing and having a headarranged in said annular cavity, a clutch ring interposed between saidhead and the circumferential wall of said cavity, a clutch memberarranged to engage said clutch ring and hold the same against movementin one direction, plungers slidably mounted in the head of said supportand springs for forcing said plungers into frictional engagement withsaid clutch ring.

4. In a pump, a frame, a piston actuating device mounted on said frameand comprising a shaft, a handle having a shank, said shaft and saidshank having cooperating clutch faces to permit them to be connected anddisconnected by the longitudinal movement of said shank, a bracketrigidly secured tosaid frame and having a bearing, a supportingstructure rotatably mounted in said bearing and having a guideway toreceive the shank of said handle, said shank being held against rotationrelative to said supporting structure, said bracket having an annularcavity surrounding said supporting structure, a clutch ring mounted insaid cavity between the circumferential wall thereof and said supportingstructure, a clutch member carried by said bracket and cooperating withsaid clutch ring to prevent the rotation of'the same in one direction,and means for frictionally connecting said clutch ring with saidsupporting structure.

5. In a pump, a frame, a piston actuating device mounted on said frameand comprising shaft, a handle having a shank, said shaft and said shankhaving cooperating clutch faces to permit them to be connected anddisconnected by the longitudinal movement of said shank, a bracketrigidly secured to said frame and having a bearing, asupportingstructure rotatably mounted in said bearing and having aguideway to receive the shank of said handle, said shank being heldagainst rotation relative tosaid supporting structure, said brackethaving an annular cavity surrounding said supporting structure, a clutchring mounted in said cavity between the circumferential wall thereof andthe supporting structure, said bracket having a substantially verticalrecess opening into-said annularcavity and tapered downwardly, afriction member mounted in said cavity to cooperate with said frictionring, and means for frictionally connecting said supporting structurewith said clutch rin 6. In a pump, a frame, a piston actuating devicemounted on said frame and comprising a shaft, a handle having a shank,said shaft and said shank having cooperating clutch faces to permit themto be connected and disconnected by the longitudinal, movement of saidshank, a bracket rigidly secured to said frame and having a bearing, asupporting structure rotatably mounted in said bearing and havin aguideway to receive the shank of said hand 0, said shank being heldagainst rotation relative to said supporting structure, said brackethaving an annular cavity surrounding said supporting structure, a clutchring mounted in said 0 vity between the circumferential wall thereof andthe supporting structure, said bracket having a substantially verticalrecess opening into said annular cavity and tapered downwardly, afriction member mounted in said cavity to cooperate with said frictionring, a series of frictional devices movably mounted on said supportingstructure, and springsfor pressing said friction devices into engagementwith said clutch ring.

7. In a pump, a frame, a piston actuating device mounted on said frameand comprising a shaft, a handle having a shank, said. shaft and saidshank having cooperating clutch faces to permit them to be connected anddisconnected by the longitudinal movement of said shank, a bracketrigidly secured to said frame and having a bearing, a supportingstructure rotatably mounted in said bearing and having a guideway toreceive the shank of said handle, said shank being held against rotationrelative to said supporting structure, said bracket having an annularcavity surrounding said supporting structure, a clutch ring mounted insaid cavity between the circumferential wall thereof and the supportingstructure, said bracket having a substantially vertical recess openinginto said annular cavity and tapered downwardly, a friction membermounted in said cavity to cooperate with said friction ring, means forfrictionally connecting said supporting structure with said clutch ring,and a movable stop to limit the longitudinal movement of the shank ofsaid handle in said supporting structure.

8. In a pump, the combination with a piston actuating device, and arotatable handle for operating said actuating device, of a device tonormally prevent the reverse movement of the handle, the last mentioneddevice being freely rotatable in a forward direction and comprising ayieldable part to permit such reverse movement of the handle whenpressure is applied to the handle in a reverse direction, and means toconnect said handle and said last mentioned part with and to disconnectthe same fromsaid actuating device.

9. In a pump, the combination with a piston actuating device, and arotatable handle for operating said actuating device, of a clutch toprevent the reverse movement of said handle, a yieldable connectionbetween said clutch and said handle, and a separable connection betweensaid handle and clutch and said actuating device.

10. In a pump, the combination with a piston actuating device, and arotatable handle for operatingsaid device, of a device to normallyprevent the reverse movement of saidhandle, the last mentioned devicecom prising a yieldable part to permit the reverse movement of thehandle when pressure is applied to the handle in a reverse direction,and means whereby said handle may be discou nected from said actuatingdevice without releasing said handle from said last mentioned device.

11. In a pump, the combination with a piston actuating device, arotatable handle, and a separable connection between said handle andsaid actuating device, of a clutch to prevent the reverse movement ofthe handle, and a yieldable connection between said clutch and saidhandle, said handle being capable of movement to disconnect the samefrom the actuating device without interrupting the yieldable connectionbetween the handle and said clutch.

12. In a pump, the combination with a piston actuating device, and arotatable handle for operating said actuating device, of a member freelyrotatable in a forward direction. a detent to hold said rotatable memberagainst reverse movement, means for so connecting said handle with saidrotatable member as to cause the latter to rotate in a forward directionwith said handle but to permit said handle to have reverse movementrelative to said rotatable member when the latter is held by saiddetent, and means for connecting said handle and said rotatable memberwith or disconnecting the same from said actuating device.

13. In a pump, the combination with a piston actuating device, arotatable handle, and a separable connection between said handle andsaid actuating device, of a rotatable member, a detent to hold saidrotatable member normally against reverse movement, and a frictionalconnection between. said handle and said rotatable member, said handlehaving a part mounted for axial movement to interrupt said separableconnection without interrupting said frictional connection.

14. In a pump, the combination with a piston actuating device, arotatable handle having a shank, and a separable connection be tweensaid shank and said actuating device, of a rotatable supporting memberin which said shank is mounted for axial movement, said supportingmember and said shank being held against relative rotation, a clutch toprevent the rotation of said supporting member in one direction, and ayieldable connection between said supporting member and one member ofsaid clutch.

15. In a pump the combination with a piston actuating device, arotatable handle, and a connection between said handle and saidactuating device, ofa rotatable member separate from said actuatingdevice and connected with said handle, said handle and said rotatablemember being normally held against relative rotation, a clutch toprevent the rotation of said rotatable member in a reverse direction,and a yieldable connection between said rotatable member and one memberof said clutch.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

EARL E. EICKMEYER.

